Saturday, September 21, 2013

I refer to sweetie Jacqueline Ann Surin's post in The Nut Graph titled Wishing for another 13 May which she penned as a comment on both the film Tanda Putera or as I re-titled it, Tandas Pordah wakakaka, and the event of May 13 in 1969.

Jacqueline Ann Surin

She wrote: I watched Tanda Putera. And two years ago, I had the opportunity to research the events of 13 May 1969 for a workshop presentation. One of the texts I read was The May 13 Tragedy: A Report of The National Operations Council, published in October 1969.

Razak, who was the National Operations Council (NOC) head, said this in the preface: “The lesson of the recent disturbances is clear. This nation cannot afford to perpetuate a system that permits anybody to say or do things which would set one race against another. If the events of [13 May] are not to occur again, if this nation is to survive, we must make sure that subjects which are likely to engender racial tensions are not exploited by irresponsible opportunists.”

If Razak were alive today, I imagine he would be sorely disappointed at what his party’s current leadership has allowed to happen since 1969. Umno members and pressure groups are unafraid to threaten violence or the dismissal of rights against non-Malay, non-Muslim Malaysians. Here are some examples from seven years ago, lest we think there isn’t a pattern emerging.

Razak

I opine her assessment of what Tun Razak would have said about the current UMNO propensity to resort to racist propaganda, threats of violence against non-Malays and dismissal of rights of non-Malay Malaysians, notwithstanding what the late PM might have written on the preface of the NOC's The May 13 Tragedy: A Report of The National Operations Council (see above), may be incorrect if we read what Dr Kua Kia Siong had written in 2007, as revealed by Malaysiakini.Dr Kua Kia Siong, political activist, author, ex-ISA detainee and at the time of the Malaysiakini report in 2007 principal of New Era College in Selangor, researched then declassified British documents including foreign dispatches and confidential reports of 1969 before he published a new book on the May 13 incident.

Dr Kua

In it he revealed that the riot was a plot to oust then premier Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) rather than the spontaneous clashes between Malay and Chinese that some had written as official history.And who ousted TAR? None other than his deputy Tun Razak, daddy of current PM Najib, displaying once again UMNO's often touted 'Malay loyalty' (wakakaka) and setting a trend for treachery in UMNO.So I have great difficulty believing the sincerity of Tun Razak's message in that NOC document's preface, apart from the likely partisan nature of the NOC report.But nonetheless, what he said about 'If the events of [13 May] are not to occur again, if this nation is to survive, we must make sure that subjects which are likely to engender racial tensions are not exploited by irresponsible opportunists' is undoubtedly correct.And Dr Kia will no doubt tell us, quite correctly, that UMNO leaders in the years since Tun Razak and Tun Hussein have totally ignored Tun Razak's exhortation, to wit, about making '... sure that subjects which are likely to engender racial tensions are not exploited by irresponsible opportunists'.The May 13 racial riots, according to Dr Kia, provided UMNO with a realization that the civil disorder would become for them a useful event, a precedence, to be recalled to threaten anyone who voiced opposition to their policies (eg. by waving book on May 13 and talking about tebuans, and keris dripping with blood).Thus he very correctly concluded that the 1969 May 13 incident was in fact a boon to the party who would continuously exploit the tragedy on a “dangerous trend of fascism” which continues until this day. Indeed, and as we know, especially so in the past 5 years.

Dr Kia lamented: “It was fascism in a way how these hoodlums behaved like the fascist movement with the help of the police. It is the worst thing that could happen to Malaysian politics and society.”I haven't had the opportunity to read Dr Kia’s book (other than what I gleaned from Malaysiakini' reports), thus I wonder whether he listed those points that I have on several occasions mentioned about the cause of May 13, that the then UMNO top echelon was so stricken with fear after the 1969 election tsunami about losing their dominant political positions that the Razak camp resorted to actions such as, firstly, initiating the riot and subsequently, removing Tunku after turning Bapa Merdeka into a convenient scapegoat for the UMNO election loss cum ensuing riot.According to Dr Kia, the May 13 riots also brought wide-reaching impact on the position of Malay special privileges which has changed to the present “disgusting usage of ketuanan melayu (Malay dominance)”.

I had touched on ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ in my 2007 post Is God black, white, brown, yellow or green?, where I stated :One could argue that the series of ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ propaganda and assertions have been nothing more than unscrupulous avaricious posturing by politicians to exploit a Malay fear of being displaced (economically, politically, etc) in their own land by other ethnic groups. In other words, it’s the politicians’ grubby greedy interests.

In that statement, I voiced my belief that it has been due to the greed (for power, etc) by UMNO leaders that the supremacist concept has always been propagated, rather than a real concern for the Malay people - there are of course a few very rare sincere exceptions.

In recent times, we witness continuing exploitation of Malay fears for those UMNO leaders own greed. And why would UMNO ever discard a winning formula?

Unfortunately the kampung folks have bought that polemical propaganda of bangsa terancam wholesale, which explains in some measure why most Malays would vote for UMNO.

Dr Kia reminded us: “We saw it not only in 1969, but in 1987, 1996 etc. It is the biggest destruction of our society."

He was referring to UMNO Youth’s role in the ‘Operasi Lalang’ clampdown in 1987 and the mob which stormed into an international conference on East Timor in 1996.

I wonder who was the Education Minister in 1987 (wakakaka) who sparked off the events with a grossly insensitive policy, leading to the necessity for ‘Ops Lalang’ which saw the incarceration of many opposition party leaders, political activists like Dr Kia and Dr Chandra Muzzafar (wakakaka), and some token BN small frys?

And I wonder who was the acting PM in 1996 (wakakaka again) when UMNO released its hoodlums on the Apcet II conference at a KL hotel to physically abuse and intimidate international (and local) delegates?

Anyway, back to sweetie Jacqueline Annn Surin - firstly, sweetie lamented the fabrications in the Tandas Pordah of Lim Kit Siang urinating at the flag post in the Selangor MB's mansion in 1969. As we now know, the director of Tandas Pordah had apologized to Lim Kit Siang for that bullshit which we knew all along for its unmistakable UMNO-ish stench.

She also criticized the director for omitting those "reports that the violence was part of an orchestrated move by certain elements within UMNO, which encouraged the violence to bring about Tunku Abdul Rahman’s downfall”, as revealed by both Dr Kia and also John G Butcher's May 13: A Review of Some Controversies in Accounts of the Riots.

Sweetie said that "These facets, including that of a “regime crisis”, are unfortunately and perhaps predictably missing from Tanda Putera’s screenplay." But of course, my dear, considering who the director is, wakakaka.

Finally she concluded: History shows us that when minority groups are repeatedly demonised, it becomes that much easier to provoke violence against them. What’s also clear in Malaysia is that when minority groups are threatened, there is little chance the state will proffer much protection.

Utusan Malaysia repeatedly gets away with malicious lies and sedition unless it is sued in a civil suit. And until today, Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali has yet to be charged for exhorting the burning of Malay-language bibles, while Jakim uses the Friday sermon to call for a “holy struggle” against non-Muslims who use “Allah”.

In its 18 July 1969 edition, TIME magazine wrote the following in Malaysia: Preparing for a Pogrom:“… Malaysia’s minorities are preparing for a pogrom … The majority of Chinese and Indians have come to believe, as a result of the riots, that they cannot expect government protection from Malay mobs.”

Forty-four years down the line, the signs point to elements in Malaysia wanting to create another 13 May. And from the government’s behaviour thus far, it would seem that minority groups would have reason to doubt that their government would protect them from any such attack.

While it's true that the state apparatus will be unlikely or reluctant to protect non-Malays should there be a racial riot, I respectfully disagree with Jacqueline on the likelihood of another May 13, recalling Sun Tzu's dictum 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.'

What I mean is that UMNO has successfully got away with its various threats of violence and thus its party objectives (getting its own way be that political, economic, educational or social structuring, etc) without the need to perpetuate another May 13 violence, as mentioned by Dr Kia in 1987 and 1996, and as we all are only too well aware, in recent times.

UMNO has in accordance with Sun Tze's dictum successfully subdued its enemy without fighting. So why would there be a need for it to initiate another May 13 riot when it has been getting its way all along?

If we recall, the May 13 riot came about because UMNO was politically threatened (incidentally, for the first time) and it felt there was a need to remove an obstacle (TAR) from its path towards how it (UMNO) should strategize to remain in power and stay dominant in politics, economy, education and social structuring, etc.

Look, if there ever was a time for another May 13, it should have been on 08 March 2008 when it lost even more than it had in 1969.

Thankfully for our nation, the AAB-Najib team (notwithstanding an Old Man of the Sea seating sinisterly on their collective shoulders, wakakaka) must have assessed UMNO's position rather differently from the Razak camp of 1969, and that day (08 March 2008) passed by peacefully. Obviously the UMNO of 2008 felt differently from the UMNO of 1969.

Since then UMNO has had 5 years of experience on opposition rule in Penang, Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan and for a while, Perak. Thus 2013 wasn't felt as a humongous loss, and in fact in some cases, even an improved win for PM Najib.

Today UMNO is stronger than ever, in full control of the police, military and civil services, and I cannot see it wishing to initiate another civil riot.

The chaos of a civil riot a la May 13 will not just be felt socially and politically but more importantly, in Malaysia's commerce, economy and development. These will bring disaster to Malaysia. Would UMNO want that?

Additionally, today's greater globalization will not leniently allow an UMNO government to get away with condoning or even covertly supporting/sponsoring a civil riot against some sectors of its citizens.

Much as I love sweetie Jacqueline, I have to disagree with her on her fears of UMNO wishing for another May 13, as UMNO will have more to lose than to gain.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

More than a year before the 2013 May general & states elections I posted a piece predicting Mukhriz Mahathir as the Next MB of Kedah, a useful political step for him to acquire necessary experience in political leadership towards fulfilling his Dad's hopes for him, as a future PM of Malaysia.

I had then written:... we know UMNO is currently not doing well at federal level so perhaps a managed hiatus in federal politics for Mukhriz may not be ill conceived. [...]

... now no worries because AAB is out and Daddy is again back in vogue as the party darling, so it’s virtually guaranteed Mukhriz will be supported by 101% of any UMNO state constituency in Kedah. He will also, like Dad when he was PM, receive garlands as big as the Garden of Eden wakakaka.

Currently, given SAMM’s outrage and consequentially promised campaign against the current PAS MB, Azizan Abu Bakar, for his treacherous non-party line support of UUCA, and Chinese Kedahans’ dislike for same MB, there is a possibility that PAS may be voted out to an extent it loses majority rule in Kedah – for more, read Another Hasan Ali.

So if UMNO (forget about MCA and Gerakan, but don’t leave out MIC wakakaka) wins back Kedah, Mukhriz Mahathir could well be the next MB of Kedah.

And indeed he is as I forecast.

But MB or not, an UMNO man cannot remain outside the highest echelon of the UMNO party hierarchy (namely president, deputy president and the 3 vice president positions) and still expects to become PM, assuming of course UMNO remains the ruling party or at least, the largest party in the ruling coalition BN.

Thus Mukhriz must become, as a start, a party vice president, from which he can then ascend to become deputy president (and thus deputy PM) before assuming the top party post and by default, the prime minister position.

Currently there are 3 VP positions in UMNO, occupied by Shafie Apdal, Hishamuddin Hussein and the recently-most-belligerent and most ethnically "patriotic" pseudo-pahlawan, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

wow, in military uniform but where was this pseudo-pahlawan whenChinese & Indian military/police personnel sacrificed theirblood, toil, tears & sweat,and not forgetting lives for the nation?

And he amply demonstrated he couldn't be loyal to even hisUMNO seniors like respectively Dr Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim.Perhaps Najib needs to keep an eye (or two, wakakaka) on him

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been an UMNO member who had been treacherous to (respectively) Dr Mahathir when the latter was party president and PM and he (Zahid) was in then-DPM Anwar Ibrahim's camp, and in a subsequent belakang pusing, to his mentor Anwar Ibrahim when Mr Manmanlai was expelled by UMNO whereupon he (Zahid) switched sides and vowed his uttermost allegiance to Dr Mahathir by hopping from the Anwar Ibrahim's camp back to Dr Mahathir's camp, wakakaka.

Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi stated in response to a question in Parliament that the low number of Chinese and Indian recruits in the military could be due to the Chinese and Indians [being] 'not patriotic enough'.

Zahid Hamidi, once a very close ally of Anwar Ibrahim and the man who accused Dr Mahathir of corruption and cronyism in an apparent impatient move by the Anwar faction in UMNO to nudge then-PM Dr M out for Anwar’s final ascendancy to the PM’s post, but who has since abandoned his allegiance to Anwar to be allied to Najib, is hardly an appropriate person to talk about patriotism or loyalty. But Zahid is certainly the very model of treachery in UMNO or, if one really wants to be kind to him, a mercenary unprincipled opportunist.

I also made the same observation against the "patriotic" pseudo-pahlawan when defending PAS' Nizar Jamaluddin in a case of privately purchased car licence plates in another post Sedition - what profit that fable ..... in which I penned:

The 'renowned superlative patriot' was famous for his only 'combat' experience, when he, as UMNO Youth Chief, was resoundingly trounced by then 74-year old Dr Mahathir in 1998 wakakaka.

That redoubtable wakakaka 'patriot' was Anwar Ibrahim's vanguard to oust Dr M out from the prime-ministership ahead of schedule through allegations of the Old Man's cronyism and nepotism. In June 1998, The New York Times reported in its World Business page:

In what was seen as a jab at Mr. Mahathir's 17-year leadership, the head of UMNO' s youth wing, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had called for an end to cronyism and nepotism during a speech to delegates.

"Why were big loans to big businessmen approved so easily when small guys had to wait so long to get a loan of 50,000 ringgit?" ($12,500) Mr. Ahmad Zahid asked.

The prime minister responded the next day by posting hundreds of names of people who have won government projects in recent years, a list which included his accuser, Mr. Ahmad Zahid.

Subsequently, Zahid Hamidi's superior survival skills wakakaka had him confessing that Anwar was the bloke who instructed him to attack Dr M with allegations of cronyism and nepotism.

He finished his confessional with a flamboyant flourish by apologising to Dr M, and acknowledging Dr M's rebuke of him as a father-to-son advice wakakaka - for more read the New Straits Times of 19 June 1999.

Perhaps this may explain why Dr M has never forgive Anwar but now tolerates Zahid Hamidi. Who knows, Zahid Hamidi might well be PM one day wakakaka.

But given his double treachery, firstly against Dr M, and then against his mentor/patron Anwar Ibrahim, is he really qualified to talk on a matter of 'loyalty', particularly on Nizar's alleged faux pas in tweeting on how to better spend a humongous sum of RM520,000?

It would be like the ghost of Hang Jebat chiding Nizar on the same matter wakakaka.

Okay, let's get stuck into the core issue of this post, namely the most important political event in Malaysia, the UMNO election, one far far more important than any general or state elections.

I believe Najib and Muhyiddin are safe in their respective party positions, much as PKR supporters may wish otherwise for Najib wakakaka. It's the VP elections that have now captured observers's rapt attention, especially when they may be interesting new candidates for the contest.

Shafie Apdal as the sole UMNO representative from East Malaysia should be safe as a VP - it would not do for UMNO, so much dependent on its 'fixed deposit', to fail an already marginalized East Malaysian from being a party VP.

Hishamuddin is the most hopeless of the 3 current UMNO VPs and solely on that lack of merit should be chucked out, but alas, he is Najib's cousin and I suspect will be retained through covert support by the PM who though reputed notoriously as being weak and beholden to Dr Mahathir, is not without some warlord's power within the party.

Nope, it would not do for party members to upset No 1, no matter how PKR might have been badmouthing and predicting (or wishfully hoping for) Najib's downfall within UMNO.

That brings us to (wakakaka) the remaining current VP, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who's on f* tenterhooks because he knows his rather precarious party position.

And man, hasn't he just been the UMNO VP who bullshittishly said that UMNO candidates intending to run for the vice-presidency should seek Najib's views first - perhaps hoping Najib will continue to support his current party status quo and thus his unchallenged candidature. He wishes!

Lurking in the corner is not only the son of Dr Mahathir but also UMNO strong (and rich) men Isa Samad and Ali Rustam, both of whom were previously deemed by their own party as either too dangerous (to party sectoral interests) or too embarrassing to to the party per se to be made VPs, let alone a DP, for both were 'hindered' by allegations of money politics and barred from contesting the party's highest echelon posts by the party disciplinary board, as if UMNO is innocent of money politics wakakaka.

I suspect both will again be stymied in their party ambitions, more so when Dr Mahathir's boy may now be contesting and expecting to win.

Anyway, back to my fave subject, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi - bloke is now like a cacing kena abu because of the likely entry of young Muhkriz Mahathir in the VP contest, unless UMNO changes its party constitution to allow for 4 VPs which I suspect will be unlikely.

Thus we shouldn't be surprised by that pathetic "patriotic" pseudo-pahlawan, Ahmad Zahid, who as Home Minister has been jumping up and down the ultra-ladder in recent times like a kera kena belacan because he knows he could well be the unfortunate VP candidate to fall in Muhkriz's ascendancy.

And of course he would object to Chin Peng's ashes being interred in Sitiawan, wouldn't he?

Mind, some journalists and political observers have predicted Hishamuddin as the person to be ta-ta-ed for young Mukhriz's rise, because like it or not Ahmad Zahid is miles ahead of him in the upstairs department.

But alas for Zahid, in politics especially UMNO party politics, logic and brains alone don't work.

Besides, Mukhriz's ascendancy to the party No 1 will be smoother with only low brow Muhyiddin and Hishamuddin in the way, rather than deviously clever, cunning and crafty Ahmad Zahid, Ali Rustam or Isa Samad.

And I bet his Daddy agrees with my assessment, and will kowtim accordingly so, wakakaka.

Yup, Muhkriz must go for a VP position this year while Daddy is still in his king-making prime. He is a nice boy but without Daddy, he will be like a babe in the woods to those feral creatures just mentioned, and we mustn't forget dynamic KJ too, wakakaka.

He must become at least a VP before Daddy loses his powers, and which has been why Daddy had recently postulated that UMNO must accept 'fresh blood' into its leadership, wakakaka - you can safely bet Dr M didn't have KJ in mind ;-)

Thus the f**king Chinese must do their loyal duty and allow themselves to be bashed for darling Muhkriz by his Daddy so that nice boy or not, he may assume the vital status of a Malay hero, in the same way Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been endeavoring most earnestly for his own party position and survival.

But one important word of caution for Mukhriz: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is renowned like Najib for his political survival and cunning. Consider, he was in the dog house together with Anwar in 1998, yet today he has risen in UMNO to be a mere two hearts' beat from being party No 1 and becoming PM of Malaysia. That's how party-smart and party-cunning he is, and Anwar Ibrahim can eat his heart out over his far more successful once-protege.

But I estimate Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is far far far superior in the department of party-smart & party-cunning than Najib because unlike Najib he doesn't have any pedigree to cling on. So both Mukhriz and Hishamuddin, and indeed even Najib, best watch out, wakakaka.

Monday, September 16, 2013

UMNO's Saifuddin Abdullah has been a regrettable victim of the indiscriminately blind ABU campaign which benefited undeserved blokes like someone in Gombak but only hurt a good Malaysian like Saifuddin Abdullah.

We need more people like Saifuddin Abdullah, especially in UMNO, not just because he's a good man but we don't want any coalition, even Pakatan, to be too powerful to the extent it has a 2/3 majority in parliament, which can then temptingly lead to unscrupulous and sinister constitutional amendments.Today the Malay Mail Online reported Saifuddin Abdullah stating that the Creation of Bumiputera entrepreneurs [is] a must.I fully agree with him. Why?Please consider, our Malaysian population has a ethnic mix consisting mainly of 50% Malays (only 65% if we add in the non-Malay bumiputeras). Commonsense tells us we Malaysians won't enjoy a healthy social situation when 50% of the population are economically miles behind the generally better-off Chinese minority.Of course I am talking in general terms where there are still Chinese and Indian poor and evidence of their terrible poverty, but the truth is that in general the Chinese have been doing quite okay.The Indians have their problems, perhaps even far worse than the Malays; likewise with the non-Malay bumiputeras. Yes, the Malay nouveau riche which arose and is still arising overtly and obscenely obese from the UMNO gravy train have been an annoying distraction to and worse, for (not 'in') the eyes of the non-Malays, a sinister mask on the general poverty among the Malays.Yes, we know some of them have expensive mansions, apartments, penthouses in London, Paris, New York and the Bahamas, etc, and they live opulent lives like the rich Saudis and Kuwaitis. But the general Malay community still struggle to eke out a decent living or enjoy facilities like electricity and tapped water or even safe bridges for their children to trek to schools - for example, read my 2006 posts:

In fact the need to address the Malays' general poverty including uplift their economic well-being was (note the grammatical 'was') the objective of Tun Razak's original NEP.But alas, someone with a humongous chip on his shoulder strayed songsang-ishly (perhaps gradually?) from that objective, turning the program of affirmative action into one of obsessively creating (come what may) an elite group of Malay billionaires, which in turn metamorphoses into get-rich-overnight cronyism, and which in turn explains the ultra feral racist politics that dominate UMNO party politics that I alluded to briefly in a previous post The blowjob story.Perhaps the songsang-ness of the so-called NEP in the last quarter century explains why Saifuddin commented wryly that: Unfortunately, we cannot rely on the current chambers or business organisations. We need to empower the young entrepreneurs or start-ups to group together and form new “communities” among them.I perceive Saifuddin Abdullah's statement as one that essentially divorces hopes for Malay business entrepreneurship from being fostered under UMNO aegis and/or sponsorship which only feeds cronies.Saifuddin Abdullah is the newly elected Chief Executive Officer of an NGO, Global Movement of Moderates (GMM), where he succinctly emphasized that the Malay new entrepreneurial community must be led by entrepreneurs, not just ordinary officials to ensure its effectiveness.Does his proposal imply the Chinese entrepreneurs should lend a supporting hand? I hope so and I trust the response will be forthcoming and sincere, if not for anything but for the well-being of our future Malaysian society. Teach the Malay entrepreneurs how to fish rather than give them each a fish.

Saifuddin Abdullah wisely suggested that: Agriculture is the sector that should be emphasised. We should continue modernising the agriculture sector and, most importantly, motivate the youths to venture in this sector.This is a wise proposal for the new Malay entrepreneurship to exploit a traditional sector which was lamentably discarded in favour of heavy industry, and thus represents one with a rich and hitherto untapped potential.In the final analysis, it's lamentable that capable blokes like Saifuddin Abdullah and Zaid Ibrahim have been wastefully marginalized.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

As a socio-political blogger I feel I'm somewhat biased towards the political side of blogging, thus this post will focused on the social element.TMI has an article titled Fix deplorable state of NS camps or our kids will leave, warn parents in which we are informed that the National Service (NS) White Resort camp in Balik Pulau suffers from deplorable conditions such as poor hygiene, unsanitary conditions, broken toilet locks, filthy sleeping paraphernalia and unbelievably in Malaysia, insufficient food.

NST photo - White Resort camp

But worse than insufficient food for the NS youngsters there was even a complaint of maggots in the food. WTF!

TMI reported that one parent Noor Asa Elang complained: ... the plight of trainees had not been looked into by the camp operator despite their many complaints, which included clogged sinks and toilets.How can we allow our young citizens to stay at such a hell-pit? This is Malaysia, not Bangladesh!NST reported that the NS Training Department's acting D-G, Rozainor Ramli, admitted that the camp operator had failed to meet the contractual standards.But even with such existing horrendous conditions, he still provides the camp operator ONE BLOODY WEEK (7 DAYS) to sort out the awful mess.So our NS cadets will have to suffer for another week?This is NOT bloody good enough.

When Najib was the Defence Minister, he conceptualized the NS program, so what does he, now as PM and Finance Minister, has to say about the appalling state of affairs at the NS White Resort camp in Balik Pulau?This is not politicizing the issue, but an urgent matter of health, hygiene and satisfactory nutrition for our youths.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Okay today I have a wee extra time so I'll blog a slightly longer post, but alas, not my usual t'ng k'ooi (ch'eong hei) tome wakakaka.

I am quite taken by RPK's post When a bunch of losers talk in which he blasted "... The Malaysian Insider editorial ... for blaming everything wrong with the country on Dr Mahathir ‘and his ilk’."RPK went on to regale us with an account of Malaysian political history and how most Malaysians had abetted the entrenchment of UMNO as the ruling party.Note my underlining in above sentence, where the verb 'abet' means 'to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing', as in (examples) 'to abet a swindler(wakakaka)or to abet a crime(wakakaka again)'.RPK lambasted those (I think not just TMI's editorial) who attributed all Malaysia's woes to Dr Mahathir with his excoriating words as follows:

Where were you 35 years ago? Where were you in 1978? Where were you in 1982? Where were you in 1986? Where were you in 1990? Where were you in 1995? Where were you in 1999? Where were you in 2004?

For seven general elections you sucked Dr Mahathir’s dick and licked Umno’s arse. Today, you write an editorial lambasting Dr Mahathir. I think you are 35 years too late. Why repeat what we have been trying to tell you over the last 35 years?

So, everything is Dr Mahathir’s fault, is it? And who kept Dr Mahathir in power for 22 years and Umno in power for 58 years since 1955? And where were you in 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999 and 2004 when we tried to tell you what you are telling us today?

No, whatever is happening in Malaysia is NOT Dr Mahathir’s fault. It is your fault. So live with it and stop bitching, moaning and complaining. You made your bed so now lie in it.

And you know what? Barisan Nasional is still going to win the next general election in 2018. And remember that I said that. Losers!

For seven general elections you sucked Dr Mahathir’s dick and licked Umno’s arse - WOW! and you know what - RPK has been right.

Now, this is not to say Dr Mahathir has not been the principal person considered as responsible, through his overt and covert policies and decisions, for bringing our nation and its terrible state of affairs to this lamentable point in our history.

But we (especially our parents and their peers) have been guilty of abetting Dr Mahathir and UMNO in charting a short sighted course for our national ship towards a warning lighthouse instead of away from the rocks of disaster.

I would not dare dream of speaking for anyone but as a Chinese Malaysian, I know most (though not all) of my ethnic community were more interested in their economic well-being than in politics a la the overseas Chinese doctrine of '3 bowls of rice'. In this, they were attracted to Mahathir and his government for their promise of economic stability (regardless of whether this was substantial or of a fleeting superficial level, for in politics, perception rules).See my earlier post The Chinaman's REAL dilemma.

But then, what happened next was when a strong political leader like Mahathir left the seat of power (well, at least temporarily, wakakaka), his less charismatic successor AAB and even Najib have had trouble keeping an avaricious mob called UMNO from going feral in their unbridled lust for plunder. It sure as hell didn't help AAB when Mahathir kept undermining him.

Those modern brigands have a standard kit for quick ascendancy up the UMNO hierarchy of power (the higher one is up the hierarchy, the greater would be the 'rewards'), one of a show of extreme bigotry to establish their ethnic credentials as defender of the Malay race.

Match or mismatch the above post-Mahathir phenomenon in UMNO with a newer generation of Malaysians endowed with rich sources of independent and thus more reliable information, and ironically a stronger sense of citizenship, suddenly a new Konfrontasi emerges with a red line drawn in the sand.

Also, in response of the politicized posturing of bigotry by the brigands, the racially-inclined aggravations assume a higher public and publicized dimension, which in turn sucks in more non-compromising racist challenges and counter-challenges.

Even Mahathir himself saw fit to join in the racial stoush as he realizes that a new political dimension has settled in since his days of power as the undisputed 'King' when his words alone were enough to quieten the unruly mob.

I wonder whether it would have made any difference if strongman Mahathir was succeeded as planned by another (former) UMNO strongman Anwar Ibrahim? Wakakaka.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

It has been often said that:TAR was the best PM we had.Dr Ismail was the best (acting) PM we had.Ku Li was the best PM we didn't have.Anwar Ibrahim was the best PM we fortunately didn't have (wakakaka).Lim Kit Siang (Pak Wanandi Siang, wakakaka) would have been the best PM we will never ever have.Zaid Ibrahim should be the best PM we ought to have.Ooops, did I miss anyone? Wakakaka!

About Me

Just a bloke interested in the socio-political whatnots around the world, particularly those in Malaysia. Loves a laugh or/and story or two, or more, but loves civility and courtesy much more, especially in politics